Recently I read a post on Facebook that broke my heart. It was posted on a local mom group page. It was from a mom who was broke and venting about how bad she felt that she could only afford to spend $5 on candy for her kids this Easter. The post made me feel sad for the mom. I felt so bad that she considered herself a terrible mom because she couldn’t give her kids gifts for Easter. We shouldn’t feel bad for not providing a lot of gifts on Easter. It’s our consumer culture that made this holiday about Easter baskets anyway. There are many ways to make Easter fun. Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t afford to buy a lot of candy and gifts. That’s why I wanted to put together a post about ways I save money during Easter. Let’s do Easter on a budget and NOT feel bad about it!!
1. CHEAP PACKAGING!
Reuse EASTER baskets, make the basket part of the gift, and don’t buy Easter GRASS!! In my house my kids don’t get a new basket each year. I use the same basket each time. It is less waste and the kids don’t mind or even notice. I’ve also heard of people making part of the gift the basket. Use a bike helmet or rain boots if your child needs those. You could also use a bucket if you wanted to give a sand toy. Shop around to find the best prices on candy and gifts. Check the Dollar Store, if you have one in your area, or other discount retailers.
2. NEEDS VS. WANTS
Think about what the child needs instead of wants. That way you end up buying items you would have to buy anyway. Plus, it cuts down on the amount of unnecessary items in your home. Along with my journey to financial independence, I am also on a journey to minimize the amount of stuff I own, consume, and throw away.
3.TRADITIONS and MEMORIES
Make the holiday about traditions and activities rather than gifts or spending money. Think about what fun things your family can do on Easter each year to celebrate. Consider an dying eggs, having an egg hunt, or baking a special item. You could also make a special Easter craft to give as gifts to friends, family, or neighbors.
4. THRIFT EASTER CLOTHES
Don’t buy special Easter outfits. I hear a lot of people talking about the best places to buy Easter outfits for their kids. If you child does not have any dress clothes, and you want them to dress up for Easter, then you may need to buy some items, but there are some things to keep in mind. Buy dress clothes that the child can wear again. Don’t buy an Easter specific outfit that they can’t wear for other occasions. Ask your friends or family with kids similar ages if they have any dress clothes their child outgrew. Chances are the clothes are still in good condition, because kids don’t dress up that often. Consider checking a thrift or consignment store to find items at a discount. There are also many online garage sales and buy/sell pages where you also might be able to find clothes used for cheap prices. Consider shopping ahead of next year. If you garage sale you can look for dress clothes in bigger sizes that your kids can wear next Easter.
5. BUY GIFTS OUT OF SEASON
Consider buying gifts out of season. Many stores put Easter items on sale after the holiday and you can get some good deals. This works for Christmas as well. Candy won’t be good a year later, but you might be able to find some other good items. Also, consider buying items off season. Maybe at the end of the summer you can find some deals that could work for a spring/summer themed Easter basket. Buying used toys, or toys from thrift stores in good condition, are also cheaper options for Christmas or Easter. This also cuts down on waste, which I love.
However you decide to celebrate, I hope you have/had a very Happy Easter!!
